Cable theft disables five streetlights in Maceió, Brazil

Around 400 metres of copper cables were stolen from the municipal lighting network in the Renasce Salgadinho area of Maceió, leaving five streetlights without power. The Ilumina Maceió public‑lighting authority isolated the damaged sections and plans to replace the stolen cables on 27 March.

The incident follows a similar theft two days earlier, after which two men were arrested for possessing stolen material. Ilumina’s director‑president Gutenberg de Melo said the agency files a police report for every case and is switching to aluminum cables and concrete‑filled boxes to deter future thefts. He warned that loss of illumination harms public safety and the community’s sense of security.